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Union of Imperial Crusader Kingdoms (Pontesi)
The Union of Imperial Crusader Kingdoms in the Pontesi Realm was established in January 3236, after the dissolution of the Pontesi Hegemony by the hand of the Imperial Crusaders League. It is located in the north-western peninsular of Majatra. It is bordered to the west by Beiteynu and to the south by Barmenistan. The Crusader Union is officialy a constitutional monarchy under the regency of Regent Lady Livia Haart, although the regent retains the power of appointing the cabinet and the mayors of the Union, powers found undemocratic by some. It's capital is Dawnstar, though the country's center of political, commercial, industrial and cultural activities is still mostly Lerna, the capital of the old Hegemony. Geography At 514,000 km, the Crusader Union is the Terra's 49th largest country in land mass, whilst it is the world's 46th largest country in terms of population. Pontesi is home to several distinct geographic regions, partly corresponding to the provincial groups. The north of the country is mountainous. The centre of the country is dominated by the predominantly flat Xanduley river valley. The north and northwest have a temperate climate. In the south-east a Mediterranean climate prevails. In the west there is a a quite rough mountainous climate. Ethnicity and religion According to the government, most of the county's citizen's are so-called "Pontesi-Selucians", through people are diverse in background and religion, although most of the population are Christian. The Selucian Catholic Church is the state religion of the Union, and other religions faces varying degrees of suppression. While heretical branches of Christianity and Judaism is tolerated, Islam is considered a hostile alien religion and is persecuted. Atheists are considered “soulless” and “devoid of all ethics” by the government. The official figures of the religious beliefs of the Union are the following: *Selucian Catholic: 31% *Terran Catholic: 6% *Other Christian: 46% *Jewish: 5% *Muslim: 2% *Buddhist/Hindu/Other: 4% *None/No Answer: 6% According to official figures, most of the population are "Pontesi-Selucians", followed by Varangians, decendants of Kazulian adventurers during the ages of darkness, and so-called Nael'Shadari, descendants of the Shadari people of Selucia, the three recognized Kingdoms of the Union. However, the government has been accused of manipulating with the statistics, and many doubt that the two minority groups are as large as they claim. Also many ”Pontesi-Selucians” do not consider themselves anything but Pontesi. *Pontesi-Selucians: 72% *Varangians: 6% *Nael'Shadari: 3% *Selucia: 2% *Beiteynui: 2% *Majatrans: 5% *Artanians: 3% *Mixed: 3% *Other (largely Seleyan): 4% Economy The Crusader Union is an emerging economy, where much of the country's national resources and industrial heights are controlled by the state. The currency is the Pontesi Soldi (or PON). The Crusader Union uses the metric system and traditional units of measurement and imperial measure (feet, inches) that were still much in use during the days of the Pontesi Hegemony, have been prohibited by the state. History :For earlier history, see Pontesi Hegemony According to official history, written by Overlord-Consul Alamar Xarfaxis, recognized by the Imperial Magisterium in the "Resolution regarding historical truth", there is no such thing as a Pontesi nation. The lands to the north and the east of Beiteynu where given to the Selucian tribe in an agreement between the Red Dragon King and the Empress of Felines. Most Pontesi are Selucians who have been forced to adopt Majatran language and culture, but are still Selucians by blood and by faith. The Overlord-Consul writes: “In the age of Legends, the Red Dragon King and the Empress of Felines, both beloved by God and blessed by great power and great riches from Heaven, isolated themselves for nine days in the Citadel of Ruby and Emerald in the dungeons of the Blackthorn mountains. They bargained long and toughly about the future of the lands they owned. However, they soon decided too keep out the lands of Beiteynu of their negotiations, as they both knew that God had special plans for Beiteynu. After many days of growling, eating, sleeping, hunting, playing and so on, the two decided that the nature of the stones that blessed the dragon's dungeon citadel would decide the future of these lands. The red ruby is the Jewel of the Sun (Gemma Solis) , and as such belongs to the North and the East, while the Emerald is the Jewel of Stars (Gemma Stellarum), and as such belongs to the South and the West. The lands to the south and the west of Beiteynu would thurs belong to the Cats, but the lands to the north and the east would belong to the Selucian tribe, God's most beloved people, that they both know was destined to assemble God's most faithful servants. The lands not separated from the Majatran continent by the sea would ages later be occupied by muslims and other heathens who would impose their language and parts of their culture upon the Selucians living in western Selucia, now called Pontus or Pontesia, but the lands would always be the rightful inheritance of the Selucian tribe, and all so-called Pontesians would be of Selucian blood and mostly Selucian culture and faith, trough many would descend into heresy and adopt many parts of the heathen culture of the Majatrans.” Some experts consider this legend to be unhistorical and a banal lie used to justify Selucian rule over Pontesi land. The country fell apart in February 3249 after a long and brutal civil war. Remnants of the Crusader organization fled to their allies in Barmenia, who they had supported against local muslim extremists, and founded the LSS Crusaders Council. The Crusader Union was briefly reetablished in parts of Pontesi in 3294, with great amounts of support from both Barmenia and Selucia, but didn't succed to last long this time, and the crusaders had to retreat back to Barmenia. Since the fall of the first Union, the Crusader Movement has become a straunch ally of the Alliance of Terran Republics.